Moon Shadow
by Athenaie
Summary: A new romance in the life of Eric Northman
1. Chapter 1

**This story is a fanfiction based on the Charlaine Harris Southern Vampire. Some characters and passages has copyright belonging to CH.**

**Hi everyone. Please remember that English is not my native language, so probably you will find many bad translations. Be kind about that. :)**

**This story is not complete, I have a few ideas but I will development them chapter by chapter and at this time I do not know the end. It will be a surprise for you and for me.**

CHAPTER 1

CPOV

'' Hide the wooden stake inside the jacket ...''- I listen.

I was in the bathroom to rectify the makeup and was automatically alerted.

''Wooden Stake''?'- I asked mentally.

The voices sounded through the wall directly from the men bathroom.

I knew immediately what they were talking about. The vampires who were at the party!

For the inauguration of the new convention center in the city all the big businessmen had been invited and it also included the vampire community.  
The convention center was located in a restored century-old building due to the effect. Large rooms with high ceilings could be used by businessmen to their meetings and the auditorium on the ground floor could host seminars and lectures of any kind.

I was here representing the company where I work, which was responsible for part of the renovation of the building. The building has a large terrace to the height of a fourth floor, richly decorated with marble statues, rare trees and plants.

For the opening party were distributed some buffet tables and some white couches ''chaise-long'' type so the guests can mingle with comfort.

Employees dressed in black suit, shirt and tie circulated with trays distributing sparkling champagne.

It was a formal attire party. The men wore black suit and tie with white shirt and women long gowns by well known designers.

I chose a one loop red dress, just to the body, with a ''chiffon'' tail swaying as I moved. The night was cold but the women have the ability to withstand low temperatures since we are beautiful and sexy!

I arrived early to the party. I met several colleagues and went to circulate, greeting acquaintances, when I saw them enter.

Ahead was the tall blond.

He has extremely bright blue eyes and hair caught in a pony-tail.

I realized that they were vampires, I already recognize when I see them. Very pale and very still eyes.

Unlike humans, vampires always seem to ignore everything around them.

The blonde was gorgeous and was wearing a very light suit and a water green tie that contrasted with how the other men wear at the party. Behind him was a female vampire, platinum blonde and very sexy. She wore a tight-fitting pink dress that showed each one of its curves and her hair caught high on the head. Finally accompanied them another vampire, shorter than the woman, dark brown eyes and hair full of gel. He was all in black like the employees. Seemed the most bored of the three!

Not prevent a ''Wow'' when I saw the blonde.

My friend Andrew, with whom I was speaking at this moment let go a laugh.

- Catherine, you too?

- I'm also what, Andrew?

- Also have you become a vampire fan?

Neither fan nor anything. - I thought. Never met any so I cannot have an opinion.  
- The blonde is the most beautiful man I've ever seen - I said

- Cat, he is not a man is a vampire!

- Whatever! - I told him laughing

I look at them some more time. The other guests were slowly approaching the trio. They greeted them and they responded with a slight nod.  
The reverence that humans rendered them make me realized that they should be well known in the national business.

He knew that some vampires were businessmen and employing others.

Others no one knew how to they live but all of them seemed to have money. Who has eternal life, probably arrange means to acquire wealth?  
- You know who he is? - I asked Andrew

- Cat!

- What? I'm just curious! You know or not?

- The blonde - said Andrew - is Eric Northman, and reportedly, one of the oldest and most feared vampires too. I know he is an entrepreneur and has a bar called Fangtasia, but I do not think that is it his only source of income. At least I've seen my boss answer his e-mails and some your boss was also one of the receivers.

I had heard of Fangtasia before but I have not the slightest idea what business would he speak to ours respective bosses.

- Really?

- Yes, I do not know what kinds of business are between them but as we see here all the businessmen in the room are paying homage to him. This is not just for owning a bar!

- And the other two?

- I do not know. The female blonde I have seen in Fangtasia... - And suddenly he became silent.

- Andrew! So who is it a vampire fan? – I Said between laughs

- Come on! A man has to have fun and one night I went to Fangtasia with friends!  
- Yes, yes!

I accepted another glass of champagne and decided to go to the bathroom and when I heard the voice from the other side of the wall it caught my attention. I tried to listen better.

The voices echoed and only noticed a few words. ''Silver'',''stake'',''blonde.''  
Without thinking, I went out of the bathroom and half opened a crack for the men's bathhouse.

I could only see one of the occupants and noticed that he spoke with at least two other voices.

He was dressed like an employee going around with trays of glasses and had a sharp wooden stake in one hand.

I immediately realize what that meant.

Those men were preparing to attack Eric and his delegation.

Instantly I took the phone from my purse and called the police while I ran.

The call was answered before I could cross the glass doors that gave access to the terrace and I quickly explained what was about to happen.

I slowed down when the police woman who answered the phone seemed to me a little indecisive about what to do on an attack on vampires.

There was no time to get into debates about the rights of vampires and I ignored his brief silence to my complaint. I was almost near them when I shut the phone and I proceeded to run.

Immediately lethal six eyes settled on me and I did not think:  
- You are in danger! – I screamed and had no opportunity to realize what happened next.

In what seemed like just a second the blonde female grabbed me by my arm and I heard the sound of my bones popping. The pain was excruciating and I fall to my knees getting my arm stuck in the tenacious cool hand of the vampire.

I lacked the air and tried with all my strength not to faint with the pain. Without knowing how, I ignored the pain I felt, the air burning in my lungs and lifted my head and looked directly into the Eric's eyes.

He looked at me like someone who looks at an ant before smashing just for the fun to annihilate a meaningless life and I do not know how I said it, calmly now, and in considerably lower tone:

- There are some men in the bathroom ... - I stopped to breathe - ... They are armed with stakes ... ... ... dressed in black. - And my strength end.  
I was sweating even with the cold of the night.

It seemed that everything was unfolding at an incredible speed that does not allow me to see properly.

The female vampire was no longer crushing my arm bones, I heard the police sirens arriving, and at least two men dressed in black were now lying on the ground, unconscious.

One had a metal chain in one hand that I thought should be made of silver.

The brown hair vampire had a wooden stake in one hand.

The three of them had fangs fully extended and seemed to growl to the inanimate bodies.

Hot hands helped to lift me off the ground. It was Andrew. He spoke to me and I could not hear. My ears hissed!

I breathed deeply several times to try to calm my heartbeat that seemed like it was a thousand per minute.

My left arm seemed dead from the elbow down and had a strange form. I managed to balance myself alone.

The party was transformed into a huge uproar. Humans looked incredulous, the police come, Andrew insisted with me if I was okay and the three vampires were very still, like statues in guard of their prisoners.

- I'm fine... - I could finally say

- I'll call a doctor!

The arm was hurting like hell and I just thought of leaving to seek medical attention.

Without hesitation I tried to exit without saying anything to anyone.  
I left the building and made a sign to a taxi that stopped next to me.  
- For the near hospital please – I said

when the taxi pulled away, I looked up toward the terrace. Under a white light that illuminated the party I saw a tall figure dressed in light color looking in my direction.


	2. Chapter 2

This story is a fan fiction about the work of Charlaine Harris, Southern Vampire Mysteries. Some characters and passages have copyrights belonging to CH.

**I want to publicly thank Elfchef for her extraordinary kindness and patience to help me in translation to English. Without her none of this would be possible, so she deserves due recognition. The story is as much mine as hers.**

**Please Review! **

**CHAPTER 2**

**EPOV  
**  
"Eric, the police want a statement from you" Pam said with an extremely bored face. Just the idea that I would have to go answer a human's question angers her.

Such a thing is below even the lowest vampire.

In the confusion that has arisen, I did not notice when the human woman left.  
I was too busy detaining the creeps that had the the gull to try and attack me.  
When I looked around, she had disappeared. Finally I saw that she was already on the street hailing a taxi.

I'm sure she has a broken arm.

How did she manage to go make it that far on foot without any help?

Actually, on second thought, how did she manage to stay calm despite the pain? She didn't even scream but still managed to alert me to the impending attack.

I know she is merely human and this is not a capacity of humans.

Fool! Two humans with stakes and silver would just be fun for me.

Her action cost a broken arm, from my loyal Pam.

"Eric?" Pam came back to draw my attention away from my thoughts.

"Yes."  
"What is it? Why are you here on the edge of the terrace looking onto the street? Did you see anything?"

"No but I have a task for you, Pam. I want you to find out everything about the human who warned us of the attack"

"Why?" 

"Pamela! Do not question my orders! I expect a full report tomorrow!" While Pam was loyal she was also insubordinate.

"Yes, master"

I went to make my statements. The police did not require my presence at the station. It's natural. Instinctive and in no way a credit to their intelligence. They feared me as they should. Despite being responsible for public order they have the notion that I can kill them all in seconds were I in the mood.

They asked the usual questions right there on the spot. One of the agents, short and fat, with his uniform almost bursting at the seams scribbled everything I said nervously in a black notebook.

"Did you know those men?" What businesses have I with vermin of that sort? It pained me to even answer. I shook my head in response to the ridiculous question.  
"Do you know anyone you wants you dead?" I was going to assume he meant finally dead. Even an oaf like he knew I was already dead. There was also too many people to list had I answered that question truthfully. I shook my head again.

"Are you available if we have further question?" No now you can kindly fuck off now. I shook my head for the third time and walked away.

I returned to Fangtasia. The night was already gone and dawn was close. For a vampire only two things can lead us to find true death. The sun and having our heads separated from our body. Neither of them would be easy.

Given my age, it's difficult to match my strength, endurance and speed.

Of course a vampire as I cannot rely solely on physical abilities.

We must use our brains and always stay one step ahead of our enemies.

Rules that lead to a long life are as follows: Do not trust anyone, and keep a low profile. It has served me well.

I sat in front of the computer to check my e-mails when the phone rang. The number was easily recognizable.

"Vasile, what an honor to receive your call!

"Eric, companion of many battles, good to hear you." Vasile Konrad is a vampire nearly as old as I am. Over the centuries our paths have crossed and although we fought side by side in many battles, in the end he always goes to his way of living.

Traveling without destiny.

Originally from Romania, he has always been a loner and a ''bon vivant'' He traveled the four corners of the world and even after the great revelation never became steady in any kingdom. For him, this revelation was complete idiocy. It is not in our nature to openly live with humans.

"What can I do for you Vasile?"

"I arrived a week ago and had not yet the opportunity to talk with you. However I have just heard disturbing news and had to know if you were okay" News travels fast among the vampires. It was because unlike humans we did not dally with preambles and express how we felt about the news we were conveying. We talked to disclose facts, the end.

"Vasile, my friend surely you do not think that two humans armed with sticks and a few pieces of silver were a match for me?" Vasile laughed out loud. It was appropriate such a notion was humorous.

"Of course not, but Eric, it's odd that a vampire as old as you could even be the target of an attempt, however ridiculous it is" True indeed. I also believed as much. Even though there are a myriad of small groups of humans who wish to eradicate us from the earth, I am not exactly the preferred target.

My age, my power and my political and economic influence in the area are all publicly known. Anyone who wanted to pick a target would know that I am one of the most difficult and they certainly would not come after me armed with toys. It was more insulting than anything else.

"There no is reason for concern" A ridiculous attempt of a few fanatics with certainty.

"It's true that they attacked you with wooden stakes and silver?" He barely managed to get the question out he was laughing hard. I could just see him holding his sides as his body shook with laughter.

"Yes, this proves that they were just idiotic fanatics. Had they been a real threat they would have known better than a mere myth" If you wanted to kill a vampire it simply wasn't the way to go.

"I do not understand, how you can live amid this drivel. Humans are food, not worth the time that we share with them."

"You have been a nomad for too long. Some of us live among humans successfully. Yes, they are idiots, fanatics, intolerant, arrogant without cause and deluded but we can live with them and with some diplomacy we can make good business. When will I have the pleasure of your visit?"

"Tomorrow, mate. By nightfall I will be in your headless blood bags bar" I laughed at his description accurate but outdated. Vasile was from another era, caught in time.  
His physique does not disappoint. Tall, dark skin, long black hair and eyes.  
If there is a vampire who personifies the image what humans have of Dracula, the vampire is Konrad. He also carries the honor of all Romanian vampires.

Whenever I saw him he was dressed in the same way, black suit and tie, white shirt and his famous black cape to the ground. He never adapted to new fashions. Whether in terms of clothes, living with humans or even the means of transport. Knowing him he still does not drive a car and travels by his own means. Like I said outdated, out dated but humorous. Running everywhere. Vasile like me has the power of flight which in some centuries was a very good strategy.

In his inability to adapt he was condemning himself to extinction.

**CPOV  
**  
"How did this happen? Wedged your arm in a machine? – Asked the doctor who assisted me. Despite the pain the humor of the situation did not escape me.

"Yes, Doctor well kind of I caught my arm in the hand of a vampire" His eyes widened in concern.

"You were attacked?" I should have known he would have drawn that conclusion. I rushed to correct it.

"No! None of that. It was an accident"

"Catherine Jenkins! If you have been attacked you should not protect your attacker" He probably heard this all the time. It really did sound like the speech of a domestic violence victim. Showing up with a black eye and saying they ran into a door. Could this get any more embarrassing?

"Dr. Jones, seriously. I was not attacked. It was an accident really! I approached her too quickly and she thought I was a threat. You know, we should not run in front of a lion! She just grabbed me; the problem was obviously the difference in physical strength"

"You are a very tolerant woman. You have multiple fractures and you can still find a way to forgive the creature that caused it. Is your goodness not excessive?''

"I'm no saint! I don't believe in turning the other cheek or anything like that but under this specific scenario, I think this was more my fault than hers. Let's not dramatize"

"If you say so. Get ready for a month with your arm in a cast. We'll see whether the bones recover" He examined my arm closer while trying not to cause me more pain.

"These fractures are very ugly. Some bone fragments are almost crushed" That was as painful as it sounded. "Are you left or right handed?"

"Right"

"It will be less inconvenient" He concluded.

I do not know if I agreed with that assessment. Although it was my left arm that was damaged I work at Portman Inc. My company buys, sells and restores old buildings. Most of my work is predominantly completed from a computer. Using only one hand it will certainly hamper my duties but ultimately, there nothing I can do about it now. It was over with no amount of whining would heal my hand.

In my bag my phone was ringing insistently. I already had a dozen missed calls from Andrew alone. I knew he was worried. We've been friends for many years. Andrew is a good man, very handsome, blond hair and green eyes.

If he were not my friend and colleague, I think I would have asked him out to dinner and much more. While we worked for the same company we had different superiors. On big projects we ended up working together. That has been the case many times. Countless nights we have toiled over architectural plans, budgets, acquisition and sale strategies. All this was possible with the help of lots and lots of coffee

Instead of answering I sent him a text message. _''It's okay, we'll talk tomorrow, don't worry.'' _I know he will still worry but at least he know that I am well enough to respond.

Writing that short text with one hand was challenging. I cannot imagine what typing reports one key at a time would be like.

Finally after the chaos of the day I was home. It was already six in the morning. Thank God it's Saturday and I dint have anything to do. I was a mess and needed a few good hours of sleep. I have never had so much as a sprain not to mention a fracture. My arm was tucked in a cast and I had no idea how I would fall asleep. Exhaustion won over discomfort. I crawled in bed and was asleep immediately.

** EPOV  
**  
The setting of the sun freed me of the death sleep. There was a sense excitement in me. I was eager to see Vasile. I was also curios the see what Pam has discovered of the human.

Speaking of Pam, she walked into the house as soon as I was finished getting dressed.

"I have the report on the human"

"Good work, Pam"

She was not happy. The information I asked her to retrieve would have cost her much of the rest of last night. She was paler than what was normal and I realized that she probably do not have had time to feed.

I opened a bottle of True Blood for her. She frowned but swallowed the content at once. Pam like most of us obviously preferred to feed on human blood. These days it is something that should be done with the consent of the human to avoid unnecessary problems.

In the absence of a cooperative human, we always have this horrible drink that will keep us strong and focused.

"Eric, can I ask what the interest in the human?"

"You can and I can tell you that you have nothing to do with it" I don't really like being hard with Pam. She is very loyal and always supports me, even when she disagreed with my choice which was usually the case, especially whenever a human was involved. She is young and there is still much that she does not understand.

"Yes, master" In this case what moves me is curiosity. If I know Pam and I do, she will question whether a human has something extraordinary to deserve my curiosity and I do not feel like arguing with her before knowing more about the human in question.

Maybe she does not even deserve my curiosity and its one less weapon in Pam's arsenal to tease me with. She has long found humor in anything that annoys me.

"You can go now Pam, we meet in Fangtasia. Tonight we will have a visit from a great companion"

"Who?" Pam's eyes were bright with curiosity.

"Vasile"

"Ah ..." Saying she was disappointed with that announcement would have been an understatement. "I thought it was someone interesting"

I laughed. Having Pam and Vasile together was like mixing water and oil. They had nothing in common except that they are both vampires. Unlike Vasile she has very refined taste for fashion and he is not her type. She calls him a dinosaur with fangs.

Pam adapts to the passage of time, to new technologies. It made her invaluable to me as a second in command.

I sat on a couch with a bottle of True Blood and the report that she brought me.

I started leafing through it: Catherine Jenkins, 27 years old, single with no living relatives. Works at Portman Inc. supervisor was Ryan. That was interesting. That was why she was at the party. Portman worked in reconstructing old buildings. Her boss was involved in one of my latest project. One that was unbeknownst to anyone apart from myself, Ryan and another shareholder of the company, Gerald Wynn.

If all goes as planned, soon, this city will fully enjoy a tourist and business center but for now secrecy is the soul of this business endeavor because everything must be done under the table to avoid unnecessary competition and financial speculation.

My plan is to buy the entire neighborhood surrounding Fangtasia and reconstruct it. Making it in a commercial and tourist area. It will be a place where companies could open their branches in conjunction it will be open during the night as tourists' bars, restaurants, nightclubs and casinos.

I wanted to make this district a prime area for the business and nightlife.

A clean, safe, bright, chic part of town where humans wanted to work and spend ample time and money.

Clearly I needed human partners in this. A vampire buying all the buildings in the neighborhood would be liable to raise suspicions of all kinds.

So I went after to the most competent and experienced humans I could find. One's that would adhere to the secrecy the project deserves. Gerald and Ryan have been working a long time and have not failed in anything so far. The Purchases of the buildings are run smoothly, without raising suspicion. The current owners of the property I desire do not suspect anything out of the norm. I am in no danger of them raising their prices. There is not suspicion that I am behind it all.

In reality beyond the business itself, which provides very profitable, I'm doing a service to society, rehabilitating a degraded area and turning it into something attractive and safe but humans will be certainly wary of my intentions. It was warranted. They were the weaker species and so often had much to fear.

The rest of the report contained information about Catherine and her contacts, her address, the car she drove, the friends she has and even some personality traits by which she is known: Rational, pragmatic, politically and socially concerned. The first's two were characteristics of vampires.

I read it again to be sure. This is not the features I expected from a human.

Humans are neither rational nor pragmatic. They are emotional and live in their world of illusions. It caused them to do the most illogical things. Yet these were the characteristics that defined her and that made me even more curious.

I made a mental note to speak with Ryan in the coming days. I'm curious about this human who felt obliged to help me without knowing me and why they say that she is rational and pragmatic. For now the only thing I can say is she is very sexy and has a body worthy of being drained. The thought of draining her curvaceous body put a smile on my face as I headed for my car.


	3. Chapter 3

This story is a fan fiction about the work of Charlaine Harris, Southern Vampire Mysteries. Some characters and passages have copyrights belonging to CH.  
**I want to publicly thank Elfchef for her extraordinary kindness and patience to help me in translation to English. Without her none of this would be possible, so she deserves due recognition. The story is as much mine as hers.**

Comment! 

**CAPÍTULO 3**

**CPOV**

"Yes?" I answered the phone as if it would rescue someone from the gallows. I have no idea what time it is. It felt like I had been asleep forever and my body hurts from the awkward position my arm forced me to sleep in.

On the other end of the phone, Andrew talked and talked and I had no idea what he was going on about.

"Andrew can you slow down a little? I just woke up; I'm having a hard time understand anything!" I looked around myself feeling completely disoriented. "What time is it?"

"Eight O'clock!" His reply was well beyond the point of exasperation. He all but shouted at me so much so that I had to pull the phone away from my ear.

"I over slept" Jesus! I slept fourteen hours in a row. No wonder I feel awful!

"Are you okay or not" - It seemed that Andrew was going to explode in the end of the line if I didn't answer him right away

"I am! More or less! So-so!" I almost laughed at my poor description of my state of being. I ended up having to explain every detail from last night, the chaotic state of my arm and how I had come home too tired and slept like the dead. Andrew continued speaking in a rush. He was nervous about my physical state, angry with the female vampire that had my arm crushed, angry because I had jumped in the middle of something that wasn't my concern.

"What were you thinking" He shouted. Again I held the phone away from my ear. I really didn't want to deal with this right now "You have found that they are not physically able to defend themselves?

He was right of course but at the time I hadn't thought about it.

There was an attacker and I wanted to defend the ''victim'' even if the victim was much stronger than all the humans there combined.

Eventually I managed to calm him down. He hung up and left me in peace.

I searched desperately for coffee. Then I walked over to the shower. This was going to be interesting I thought. I have never really given much thought to how difficult it would be to shower with one hand. How exactly was I supposed to wash my hair?

I stayed in the shower feeling the warm water streaming down my body. Gradually my mind drifted back to last night and I did not avoid remembering him. What a colossus of a man, or vampire as Andrew says.

It was almost as if he had a sense of power that emanated from his body and engulfed the space all around him. I'm not even talking about physical strength but of a certain hypnotic power that he distributes as he moves.

Those eyes were so blue, so bright and yet so very deadly.

Is it possible to resist him?

If my aching arm didn't have to be kept out of the stream of water I was sure my mind would have spun other fantasies that would lead my hands to warmer and more sensual places.

I left the shower and looked for something to wear. The night was not cold and neither was the house. I settled for a t-shirt because it was easier to maneuver through my arm in the state it was in.

Putting jeans on was more difficult, sometimes pulling on one side, sometimes pulling another and the final adventure was able to pull the latch and close the button. I was exhausted when I finished. Honestly I had no idea how I was going to last with this one handedness.

It was Saturday and I was not going anywhere before Monday morning. I would try to get used to using one had. That way the next time I needed to leave home it wouldn't take forever to get dressed. Or as an alternative I could always tie a colored orange sheet orange throw my body Buddhist monk type and go to work. Just the thought of the reception I would receive from my co-workers made me smile.

Having long hair usually wasn't a problem right now it was. My hair was blonde and hung down to the middle of my back. I had to dry and brush it. One handed it was proving to be quite the task. I also wanted to wear a little make up because I was pale. This was easy to do with one hand. Many years of experience in applying it in traffic were finally paying off.

I had managed to put on eye liner without taking out one of my eyes.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I liked my reflection. Now to try that several times until I can do it in less time.

I had no patience to cook. Instead I ordered something to quiet my stomach and stave off the hunger.

The remainder of my night was spent on the couch watching TV and reading a book. Some people find it strange that I read with the television on but for me it was always natural. The TV is only for companionship, but for some background noise it helps me concentrate on what I am reading. In my college days, I came across some people that needed absolute quiet to study.

I need some sound; otherwise I began hearing my own thoughts. It was distracting.

**EPOV ****  
**  
The bar was empty as I made my way to my office.

I removed my jacket and hung it. Wearing a suit and tie was a complete nuisance, one that was sometimes necessary. When it was not necessary to introduce myself as a reputable businessman, in society, I prefer this way: Jeans, t-shirt, jacket and boots.

There was always an endless supply of emails and documents that required my attention. I began wading through them all when I felt a deep annoyance coming from Pam. It was dominating the bond we shared. There was no other explanation; Vasile had arrived. Seconds later, Pam was on the office door and before she knocked I gave her permission to enter. Her cheeks were rosier than they had been yesterday. She was well sated but more irritated. She was dressed in the uniform of Fangtasia, corset and tight leather pants with black boots that went over her knees. She was the ''dominatrix'' type that tourists love so much. She on the other hand disliked this style as much as I disliked suits.

Pam was the picture of annoyance. Her hands were on her hips and her eyebrow was arched. I wanted to laugh. She is in a sour mood.

"Master, Vasile calls for your time." If she was not a vampire I would swear that she was going to vomit as she said those words. As it stands she merely gestured into her mouth with two fingers and indicated a gagging motion.

I couldn't help but smile. Then I motioned for her to let him enter. Despite her distaste she did so without another word. Vasile approached the door, His infamous cape was billowing behind him and he greeted me with an exaggerated bow. He was always very theatrical.

"It pleases me to see you again" I told him.

"The pleasure is all mines" I motioned for him to sit down.

We were acquaintances for so long, by human standards could even say that we were like friends but unlike humans we never shook hands.

"What brings you by my area, Vasile?" There was a broad decade that has brought him near this region. It made me curious.

"I'm just in transit, as always, Eric. As you know, I never stay long in one place and just thought it was time to visit this area of the world. I will just stay long enough, to see the sights, reconnect with some friends and enjoy the assortments of food in your region"

"Vasile you must be aware" The calm face I wore when he entered was fading. "While you are here you must comply with the rules of society" If he wants to stay he will have to comply with my orders. I do not want any trouble with him. But I also cannot allow him to attack or kill humans as it does in some areas of the world. If he did I had no intention of letting him walk away from any mess he caused. It did not matter if he was a drifter or not.

"Eric you will compel me to drink the putrid substance you call blood?" His tone was pleading and incredulous; as if such tactics would be effective on me. He knows me better than that.

I nodded to reinforce my position. "Vasile you must remember that in this area I am the law. If you want to remain, you will have to comply with my orders and that means that you cannot attack or kill humans" At this stage I did not mention the allowance given for cooperative humans. I preferred he understood that he has to feed from synthetic blood. Otherwise I ran the risk of him walking around the street asking any human if he or she would mind being a donor. I knew he was out dated and couldn't tell the difference between fangbangers and humans that were skittish of vampires.

"Eric, this will be tedious but you are the law and your orders are to be met. You have my word that I will not attack or kill any human in your area" He bowed as he spoke as if his vow was binding. I've known him for many centuries and that gives no confidence. The fact that he has given me his word has not provided any additional security. I would not have reached that age if I strongly relied on the honor of a vampire. Such a thing was nonexistent.

Anyway, he knows that if he fails to comply with my orders he will be severely punished, nor the years or cohabitation are extenuating circumstances. I apply the law blindly, no matter who it hurts.

I answered his bow with a nod of my head. "As long as we have an understanding you are welcome then. Tell me what you have been doing in recent decades"

Vasile leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs making his cape flew over the back of the chair. As I mentioned he was theatrical. He told me about the places he had been and the things that he had seen.

Over the past years he was in many parts of the world, especially in areas of war and upheaval. It was natural for us to gravitate to places like that. For someone like him clinging to the old survival techniques, the war zones of the third world are a constant food supply. Humans may simply disappear no one will point the vampires as the attackers. There are always many other suspects: Government forces, rebels, terrorist groups, or just human's killing one another for no apparent reason.

From time to time he made a few brief forays into the civilized world, never staying long in one place. Almost the entire civilized world has leaders like me, who enforce the law and Vasile not coexist well with this.

He did not say, but I know he was and is against the Revelation.

For him everything was fine before, He had no idea why we would complicate our simple way of living. If you're a predator, why warn the prey of our presence? He does not adapt to new times and does not understand that to us, predators and murderers become tired of living in the shadows.

Not everything was perfect. Many of our kind did not survive the trials of those days. The way we lived forced us to use restraint every waking moment; restraint that takes many years to achieve and a patience that is learned with many centuries. Over the years, it becomes easier. We do not need much blood to survive and personal restraint becomes a source of pride and not sacrifice. For the younger vampires is more difficult. They feel frustrated and angry but the fact of knowing that the law is rigid and does not allow ravings, helps them to maintain control.

Yes we are still predators and yes humans were our prey. Everyone would rather kill a human to feed, not only by blood but also for the pleasure of killing.

Vasile continued to tell me his hunting's, having no idea how this attitude was not well regarded among those of us who took pride in our discipline and restraint. He was recanting a particularly gruesome tale when my phone vibrated.

It was a text from Ryan: Congratulations. The final deal was closed and you are now the sole owner of all buildings in the area. We need to arrange a meeting to prepare the second phase.

I replied without taking my eyes from Vasile: Monday, at your office, 9pm make sure you are alone.

Then I deleted the messages. My action did not go unnoticed by the other vampire in the room.

"I see you're very busy. You have here a little empire" His words left room for me to divulge some information. I ignore him. There is only one person in whom I trust and that was Pam and she not even knows my latest plans.

I know she will not be against the idea of seeing Fangtasia surrounded by a bustling tourist zone. This was sure to put a smile on her pretty face. However, I preferred to surprise her with the whole thing.

"You have some where safe to spend the day?"

"Yes, I have found a cemetery near here" Of course Vasile wouldn't have chosen a house or a hotel. A vampire from another time prefers resting in the ground. At one time or another we have all done this. I myself have done it many times over the last millennia. It was done as a last resort because it was an irritation I hated to endure.

"Very good"

I needed to go over my plans and set topics I wanted to discuss with Ryan and Gerald at our meeting.

I want to decide on the renewal of each of the buildings in person. That way I would hand select which establishment would be for day time/ business uses and which would be the night clubs. Also while I was there I could determine the viability of some and decide on the destruction of others.

I dismissed Vasile and informed him he could enjoy a drink at the bar.

He scowled but parted with a slight nod, he goes out the door.

"Pam"

She appears before me immediately.

"Do not let him out of your sights"

Pam sighed heavily. "Now I have to make to nanny the ''vamp erectus''?" she never ran out of a shortage of names to call someone she did not favor.

"Pam" Vasile's presence may be a problem. It was no time to have vampire's reputation besmirched. He had to be controlled as much as possible. I wouldn't want to kill him but it was something that I wouldn't hesitate to do if he fails to comply with the orders he was given.

"Yes, I know, sorry, we don't want to have problems with him. I'll put him in a tight leash and maybe even a muzzle" Pam was being acidic with her words but they were true. A vampire with no restraint was a problem we simply couldn't have.


	4. Chapter 4

This story is a fan fiction about the work of Charlaine Harris, Southern Vampire Mysteries. Some characters and passages have copyrights belonging to CH.  
**I want to publicly thanks to Elfchef for her extraordinary kindness and patience to help me in translation to English. Without her none of this would be possible, so she deserves due recognition. The story is as much mine as hers.**

**Comment! Please!**

**CHAPTER 4 **

**CPOV **

****  
MY God! There has to be some madness in the air. What is wrong with people these days? Mondays are usually complicated, but today was a record breaker.

In preparation of traffic and newly found handicap I woke up hours before I had to be at work. Today I chose to go with something that was not formal; nice jeans; fitted sweater. I completed the look with a pair high heeled boots and a cropped leather jacket.

Generally people dressed casually at the office if they were going to be there for all day. Much like I planned to be today. We were all dressed this way except those administrative employees who were dressed in colored skirt and coat sets and extensive gaudy jewelry. They looked like Christmas trees with legs.

I hated places where there is a very rigid dress code. I preferred places that allowed you to come into work in the first thing you got your hands on in the morning. That fit in perfectly with my lifestyle.

My car was not automatic. I liked a manual transmission there was something thrilling about it. Unfortunately I could not drive so I called a taxi. Since I got into the office I have barely gotten any works done. No one seems to comprehend that with one arm and their interruptions I was going to be here all night.

I have done other than give explanations as to the current state of my arm. I have answered questions from Gerald and Ryan, Eva from accounting, Paul from human resources, Jack from the legal department, Isa, Gerald's secretary and even from the lady whose name I didn't know but she always comes in mid-morning to offer us a coffee.

I wondered if it wouldn't be more prudent to send out an email to the entire office to explain to them that, ''Yes, a vampire broke my arm. No, I'm not angry. No, I'm not crazy. No, I will not press charges against her. It was an accident!''

Hasn't anyone ever hear of a dog biting because it was scared or cornered? Okay, comparing a vampire to a dog is a little bit of an understatement but I was merely thinking about how they both have acute survival instincts. Many times when they feel trapped or panicked they bite first and assess the situation later.

Really was it so hard to believe that it was an accident? They were lethal machines but after all humans attack people too don't they? They are stronger, faster, and have fangs but we kill to eat too, or better yet, go to the butcher to buy meat already dead to eat. Let's say that they are murderers and we are not? I would say by rules of nature we were the worst of the two. We did not kill other people to feed from them. And our bodies aren't wired to kill. We just did.

Let's imagine for ridiculous second that chocolate bars were now living and walked around talking amongst us. I do not know how I would be able to stop myself from taking a bite out of one of them. In fact just the idea has my mouth watering. The very notion had me laughing alone as I looked in my desk drawer.

My boss Ryan Portman poked his head through the door:

"You're in good mood" He sounded as though this observation was most surprising to him although pleasantly so. Ryan Portman was a good boss. The best I ever had.

Tall, well built, gray hair already, showing the passage of its 54 years. In those years he has accomplished so much. He built Portman Inc. from the ground up. He was barely finished with college at the time. Years later he offered Gerald a partnership. That partnership had been going strong for fifteen years. During which they grew and grew. They went from a small business to large company with impressive clientele.

None of his monumental success had gone to his head and in the four years I have worked for him he has always treated me with respect like I was one of his colleagues and not his subordinate.

Andrew had the unfortunate luck of having Gerald for his boss. Gerald was the opposite of Ryan. He was not unsympathetic but we he was much less at ease and I did not think it ever crossed his mind to tell a joke or to laugh at one. Working for him could not have been easy.

'Sadness does not pay the bills Ryan!"

"Do you have a lot of work to do?" He appeared concerned. He came closer to my desk to take a look at my work load.

"Some I am taking the opportunity to do everything that requires only one had. Today I am devoting myself to the telephone"

He gave me a kind smile. "If you have nothing urgent to do, go home enjoy the rest!" He appeared nervous.

I looked at the clock, was 3p.m. What the hell?

"Ryan, I'm not sick, I can work" He made a strange face.

"Good but do not stay too late. At 5 o'clock I want you to go home and get some rest"

I was looking at him as he walked away. Strange! It seems he want to see me from my back. I think we're all a little crazy here.

I concentrated on what I still had to get done. The budgets for the rehabilitation projects had to be examined. There were also many contacts with potential customers that I had to go over. They have been on my desk for some time now.

I found a comfortable position in the chair that offered the cast on my arm some comfort. I sank into my work and did not even see the hours pass.

"What are you doing still here?" I raised my head to see an impatient Ryan in front of me. His approach had completely escaped my notice.

''What? What time is it?''

"8:30 I told you to be out of here by 5. Everyone else has already gone home. What are you still doing here?" He had a very irritated look. I don't think I had ever seen him so angry. Nothing about his behavior today was making any sense. Since when does a boss get angry about his employee working late?

I decided not to argue. It was obvious he did not want me here.

"I'm leaving" I shut the laptop down, grabbed my purse and walked toward the door.

"See you tomorrow'' he seemed relieved. Strange, very strange!

I entered the elevator and tried to find my phone in my bottomless and gigantic purse to call a taxi. I was already outside the building and I couldn't find it. I emptied the bag and still nothing. Damn!

I turned back to walk through the automatic doors they were already shutting. There was no way for me to reenter the building. Hell! How was I supposed to get home?

There was another entrance through the parking garage and I went around the building. I knew I was not wanted in the building by Ryan.

So I had a plan:

Sneak into my office, pick up the phone and sneak back out without being seen.

I slipped down the ramp to the park entrance. I noticed that there were three cars left behind. Two of them I knew well. They belonged to Gerald and Ryan. Beside it was an unknown car, a BMW Z5, black with tinted windows, very high-end!

I ran to the elevator, I saw that the doors were shutting and held it with my right hand to prevent them from shutting all the way. When the doors opened I went running.  
Someone was in the elevator. He was extremely tall. When my eyes finally met his the first thing that came out of my mouth . "Oh shit!" It was the Eric Northman.

The elevator doors closed and he gave me a very serious look.

I didn't know if I had to apologize for my unorthodox phrase or to start screaming for help.

The elevator began rising and I was having trouble breathing.

All thoughts left my brain. He was handsome, his eyes troubled me deeply.

His mouth was very appealing and at the same time was the personification of death.

I thought he was here to attack me. Instantly I realized that I was being a fool. Andrew already talked to me about his involvement in the business world. I thought about saying something, anything to lighten the mood but I did not know where to start.

I felt my heart beating in my throat, my mouth went dry, and my legs were shaking and did not know what to do with my right hand. I was trapped in an elevator with a vampire.

On one hand I was panicked on the other I could not help feeling attracted to him.

He did not look away from me and I was having immense difficulties in keeping me calm.

Suddenly he touched the stop button. The elevator froze halfway through and my heart stopped beating.

**Yes, I was bad to stop the chapter right here but I wanted to leave you wondering what will happen inside the elevator. **

**I hope you do not take this the wrong way! **


	5. Chapter 5

This story is a fan fiction about the work of Charlaine Harris, Southern Vampire Mysteries. Some characters and passages have copyrights belonging to CH.

**I want to publicly thank Elfchef for her extraordinary kindness and patience to help me in translation to English. Without her none of this would be possible, so she deserves due recognition. The story is as much mine as hers.**

**Please Review! Will not ****cost you any money! **

**CHAPTER 5**

**EPOV**

I arrived at Portman offices in time for my appointment. In the garage all cars were gone except that of Gerald and Ryan. It would irritate me if that hadn't fulfilled my request for us to be alone.

I parked and walked to the elevator. When the elevator doors opened I heard someone inside the parking garage.

I quickly entered. I did not want to be seen even though the most sensitive part of the deal is completed. There was no point in making my connection to Portman known if it wasn't necessary.

To my surprise the person ran and was able to get into the elevator before the doors closed; glamour it is I suppose.

To my astonishment the figure in front of me was a panting Catherine Jenkins with her arm wrapped tightly in a cast.

She recognized me immediately and did not avoid swearing.

It made me smile mentally.

The doors closed and I could feel that she was nervous and trying to keep her composure.

All the while she said nothing and it made me curious. I wanted to talk to her, preferably without witnesses. I did the best thing in the situation. I pushed the stop button of the elevator as I looked directly into her eyes.

She jumped up and leaned against the elevator wall. The composure she had been trying to maintain fizzled away. The thumping of her heart was crowding the space we shared. It was irregular and beating rather loudly.

I was in no hurry to start talking. Her nervousness was giving me pleasure. It took effort but I did not let it show. I meant her no harm. On the other hand I am a vampire and we take pleasure in human suffering.

She did not scream but she was still apprehensive. I could do better than that. Torture her just for my pleasure? Her screams would sound heavenly.

The idea of making her suffer in other ways surfaced in my mind and bloodlust burned on my throat and other lusts burned other parts of my body.

"Why you stop the elevator?" She asked me with haughty air, as suddenly out of a trance and gaining control over her body.

Courageous, this would make for excellent sport.

"I want to talk to you." I replied dryly even though this was hilarious.

"About what?" Her tone had turned defiant and her nose was slightly in the air. Ladies and gentlemen we have a fighter.

I leaned against the wall opposite to her, crossed my legs and put my hands in my pockets to show her that I would not attack. Actually I had not yet decided on that. She would benefit from a lesson in fear. Her courage and her brazenness had led her arm into the cast I was fixing my gaze upon. She left the party badly treated.

"Catherine, how did you know that someone wanted to attack me and my colleagues?"

Her beautiful brown eyes widened slightly and she stammered.

"How do you know my name?"

I did not answer. I waited with a bland expression. I asked her a question and I expected an answer. The seconds ticked by and she finally seemed to give up on waiting for my explanation.

"I heard the men talking about it in the bathroom" She shrugged her shoulders. ''The walls were pretty thin. They had stakes on hand and were talking about a blonde. You don't necessarily have to be smart to connect the dots"

"Why did you tell me about it?" This answer interested me greatly. Why would a human want to protect a vampire? It was like a gazelle defending a lion.

"Why not?" I have been speaking with her a short amount of time but I disliked the way she answered my question with a question. Why not? What logic was there in that? According to her if you saw someone in danger you were to get involved. I would swear she even believed the nonsense she was spewing.

"I seem so helpless that I need the help of a human?" I provoked her by showing my fangs.

She gulped and trembled for a moment but seemed to regain control quickly. Quicker than I would have expected; fascinating; frustrating.

"No, I don't think you're helpless and you probably do not need my help. That doesn't mean I'm ashamed or sorry for helping anyway" What the hell! She did not spar with ease.

"Well, anyway, I want to pay for the expenses you incurred with your actions, medical treatments and the inconvenience that injury caused" It was fair even though I did not need or ask for help.

"What?" She pulled away from the wall and approached me. "You want to pay me for warning you" Then she laughed in my face. I wasn't sure if she was bold, crazy, or had a death wish.

Cheeky so very cheeky. I closed the distance between us and bared my fangs. I felt like hitting her until she stopped laughing.

She stopped laughing on her own accord but did not remove the smile from the face; it was an irritating and annoying smile, an exciting, attractive, delicious smile ... ... What the hell! Who is controlling who here?

"Will you continue to growl at me or are you going to start the elevator again?" She was not afraid of me. I was not sure if I desired her fear as much as I should. I knew I did not want her afraid of me to the point where she would run from me.

"We have not yet decided how I will pay for your services" I held her eyes in mine and pushed my glamour upon her so she would accept my offer.

She stopped smiling; now completely under my power, I'm sure.

"I'll send you due payment" Her eyes were still locked in mine. I knew she could not refuse me.

"No"

What? She resisted my glamour? That's simply not possible.

She looked away from my eyes. Her body leaned to the side. It brought her close enough for me to bathe in the warmth of her body. I thought she was leaning into me because…well I was simply irresistible to all creatures. But just when her body was a mere centimeters from mine and I thought her arm was going to wrap around my body; she pushed the button to start the elevator again.

"I don't want your money. Let's just say you owe me a favor" She was still in my space as she spoke and I could barely think of anything other than the strong pulse point on her exposed neck; the sweetness of her smell; and the inviting curves of her lips. She straightened her posture and put the width of this small space between us once more. There it was again that smile, which I was growing to like and loath. It told me she knew what she just did to and she enjoyed it.

I didn't reply to her counter offer. The rest of our journey was done in silence. The elevator reached the top floor, the doors opened and I still could not stop looking at her. On one hand I was angry because I'm not accustomed to someone laughing in my face, to say no and resist my glamour; on the other hand all of it was hilarious and irresistible.

Something new at the end of over a thousand years is a reason to be a little euphoric.

I have never been one to get carried away with my emotions. But I confess that it is good to find something new in the middle of this morass existence of mine. It left nothing to look forward to; nothing to enjoy when you knew humans were all the same, predictable, frightened and submissive.

I could feel Gerald and Ryan look to us inside the elevator with a genre air. I suppose they were not expecting the presence of Catherine and if I know humans they are in a panic. In other circumstances this would be an unforgivable failure in security. In this one I could easily overlook it.

Catherine spoke to me in a tone that allowed to be heard by the other two.

"I'll leave you alone. Obviously you not want anyone in office during your meeting, just need to get my phone" Her tone was confident as she set up her out in the awkward situation.

She passed me and I followed behind her. She quickly went into her office, grabbed the phone and stopped in front of me, still smiling, as if she was happy with something that she had achieved.

"What happened to the three men?" She asked pulling me from my thoughts. It was good of her to do so because they had already centered on her body now. The woman had breasts that deserved to be revered on ones knees!

"There were only two" My reply was somewhat absent as my eyes were still trailing her body. By this point I was moving languidly down her chest; through the soft curves waist, to the defined arches of her hips. The desire to take all her clothes and make her beg for mercy, made my fangs sticking inside of my mouth and savor the fruits of my own blood.

She was suddenly serious.

"No! There were three! I am sure"

I don´t wanted to talk about the freaks from last Friday. Nothing but useless worms that are not worth the blood that his arteries carry.

Gerald and Ryan trembled with nervousness behind us.

"Some coward who left his to die for faith"

She made an inquisitive face, as if she not believe in it and I did not continue this ridiculous conversation about humans. I wanted to push her in to the office, lock her inside; even if I needed to kill the two idiots who were still staring.

She smiled again; this time it was subtly seductive. I knew she knew what I was thinking; what I desired.

She looked away and walked past me, toward the elevator.

I hated to see her go because it did not feed my immediate hunger but I loved watching her walk away. Her ass was clad in tight blue jeans. It was perfect in its curvatures. Again my fangs clicked without my consent and pierced my lips. I felt a new stream of blood trickling down my throat. Who can be so fucking sexy with a cast on her arm?

"Nice to talk to you Eric. See you tomorrow Ryan, Gerald"

The doors closed and I went out quickly from the trance that Catherine's backside had placed me in. I wondered if that was what it was like to be glamoured.

I spun on my heels to face the two humans in front of me. They look scared. This was the typical reaction I got from humans it bored me yet again.

"Gentlemen, let's talk business"

They took a deep breath, like a huge weight had been lifted off their shoulders. I do not intend to speak about their breach of security. After all it was a moment of great entertainment. 


	6. Chapter 6

This story is a fan fiction about the work of Charlaine Harris, Southern Vampire Mysteries. Some characters and passages have copyrights belonging to CH.

**I want to publicly thank Elfchef for her extraordinary kindness and patience to help me in translation to English. Without her none of this would be possible, so she deserves due recognition. The story is as much mine as hers.**

**Please Review! Will not ****cost you any money! **

**CHAPTER 6**

**CPOV**

The doors closed and the elevator began its journey down. I couldn't get the silly grin off my face.

The only reason for me to smiling was if I was crazy. Well that wouldn't be so strange.

Whenever I looked around I saw I was living a crazy world. So I probably am crazy. 

What was I happy about exactly? That Eric didn't break my neck even though he could have done so easily. It could have been because I was in an isolated space as a vampire and keep my cool. It would have been wiser for me to grovel on my knees and beg him to spare my life. I showed courage.

I took some pleasure in telling him no. It made me feel powerful to refuse a powerful male figure. In fact Eric was more than that. He was definitely the Alpha male in any room he entered.

I found myself thinking about how lost I had been lost in those blue eyes. I was thinking of all of him; his tall physique; his statuesque muscles. They were all the reasons I was smiling. I wondered how it would feel to run my hands through his hair and that body of his. I pulled in a deep breath. "No, no, no! Catherine! Behave yourself. You are too old for this" I mentally scolded myself halfheartedly.

Ryan must be very annoyed with me. I was going to have problems tomorrow no doubt. Whatever was going on between was not supposed to come to my attention or that of anyone else for that matter.

I hope I haven't caused any problems between them. It was not my intention. But what could I do? It was too late for me to prevent anything about it the second I entered the elevator.

I reached the street again, and now with the phone in my hand I called a taxi.

While I waited I looked to the top building a few times. I was curious about what was happening between my boss and the vampire on the tenth floor. Neither the angle nor the distance, and or the mirrored windows, allowed me to see whatever they were they were up to. So I stopped stretching the neck in a direction it did not belong. The most I could achieve from this vantage point was a stiff neck. I remembered how easily my arm broke in the hand of the blond vampire who accompanied him at the party. Does my boss and his partner really want to do business with someone who destroyed part of my body? There was no mistaking the dangers surrounding a vampire. My presence there was not supposed to have been I wondered what Eric would do. He wouldn't do anything.

Why would he? He did not seem angry, or at least not too angry.

Even had the outlandish idea of offering me money for the inconvenience!

Thinking about his outlandish proposal to pay for all my medical bills and offer me money for my inconvenience had me laughing out loud; all alone; in the dark' in the middle of the street. Yes, I was absolutely crazy. A couple passed by and shot me weary glances. It made me laugh even harder.

It was not illogical to receive compensation for damages. This is typically what society's rules require. When we cause harm, even unintentionally, it is natural to want to compensate for the damage and inconvenience. If I were the cause would have done so as well. However, when the proposal was made to me, I found it all so ridiculous. It's my fault, admittedly, but who said I'm perfect?

The taxi arrived and I gave my address and I reclined into the seat.

Now I was beginning to feel tired and was anxious to get home. My arm began to hurt again, well maybe it hurt constantly and I was always too busy to notice. 

''Oh, home sweet home!'' Finally after what felt like an eternity I was home.

I live in a residential area about twelve and a half miles from the city center, composed of very tall apartment buildings. It's a real sea of concrete, interspersed with some green areas.

I bought a two bedroom apartment recently built in a magnificent ninth floor.

My living room is large and naturally lit by a huge double window. I decorated it with white leather couches and black furniture without many decorative items. Only one LCD television in the center, books on both sides and aromatic candles. I like a lot of monochromatic decorations and I love the light of candles and feel involved as the small fights flickered and the scent filled my senses. When I had vanilla scented candles, well that was just icing on the cake. At the center of the room I put a white carpet, high and fluffy fur. Shoes were forbidden in the part of my home. The walls got a painted acrylic canvas, hung at different heights intentionally it made the ceiling appear higher.

It's one of my hobbies. Are just games with colors, that I mix directly, whose sole purpose is to convey some emotion. I come to lay them off when the end result does not please me.

To avoid disrupting the entry of sunlight in the room, I chose as curtains, a set of translucent fabrics, which are just bars of fabric with some fifty inches wide, alternating black color with white to fill the entire width of window. Are placed in two metal rods, parallel, which cause the feeling of depth between one color and another.

Entering my house, we have direct access to the living room. Turning left we have access to a hallway where the bedrooms, closet and bathroom. Ahead lays the kitchen.

In one of the rooms I created an office where I put a glass-green desk with a black leather executive type chair, at center a similar carpet to the living room but in beige. on one wall and a wooden dark-brown bookcase that this moment is so loaded with books, documents and folders that seem to me that the shelves are starting to get wobbly.

The closet is the worst room in the house. Like any self-respecting woman, I have a lot of cloth and never anything to wear. It is not unheard of to find some peace that I do not even remember where and what I buy it.

The bathroom is quite spacious. I hate small bathrooms. They make me feel claustrophobic. The dishes are white and the tiles are a tone intermediate between beige and yellow.

The marble that surrounds the basin is completely covered with containers of makeup, hair products and perfumes. Got to have it all handy to avoid losing too much time when I was getting ready.

My bedroom faced east. I chose pastel colors between yellow and blue shades and beech furniture. It was all set to induce relaxation. After some more stressful days at the office it was what I needed. Of course I rarely used it for it's intended purpose because I most likely passed out on the couch from exhaustion.

The kitchen was another room that I could dispense. I can cook but hated preparing elaborate dishes just for myself. I do not think I have ever even used the oven. If it wasn't part of my home I would give it away to anyone who needed it.

I buy precooked foods or just make toast.

One of the problems of living alone and for which I have no solution. My parents passed away long ago, I have no brothers, cousins or grandparents. Truth be told I cannot remember the last time I lived with relatives. It was not lonely, at least not anymore. Now I found solace in my silence instead of sadness.

I found it unappealing to share living space with friends, because I appreciate my privacy and avoid the famous arguments about who's turn it is to do dishes of clean the bathroom. So I argue with myself.

Living with a boyfriend is something unheard of since the days college. At that time I had a relationship that lasted almost five years and eventually we lived together. I still wonder if that was a mistake.

When we finished our studies and entered the labor market, after a while I had the opportunity to come work for Portman and this meant relocating. He had stayed as an assistant professor on campus. A long distance relationship is an illusion thought up by a poor diluted soul who could not face the facts. So they created that fantasy, but that was all it was in practice it does not work and we ended it shortly. I have never been one to kick a dead horse.

Michael was not really my kind of guy but I was truly in love with him. Unfortunately I am more inclined to appreciate the bad-ass type of guy. But he was safe, the kind of man you start a family with. Michael was 5,5 feet tall, brown hair always neatly combed, baby-faced, almost non-existent beard and intellectual glasses was the antithesis of bad boy.

Never had a boyfriend who remembered my birthday but he never forgot; always calls me to wish a happy birthday. Michael was and always is the perfect gentleman.

Since our separation I have never had another relationship. There have been affairs, all very inconsequential.

Not that I could not have anyone I out my mind and body to but, I knew the idea was foiled for me.

The most likely is a man asks me out with the idea of something more serious and I think it's just a situation of all-as-friends.

From the window of my living room, I see a green space with a small lake where families spend time mostly on weekends. It has some deciduous trees, some wooden benches and on one side have a bike lane and a park for children.

The pond water is kept very clean and we can admire the Koi fish that swim freely within it.

When it's sunny, I lose myself sitting on the grass beside the lake, feeding the fish bread and shuffling through my I-POD. I do not have any kind of musical culture. I am an absolute zero-to-sixty on the issue. I do not know the names of songs or singers. I do not have my own style and do not much care to the theme music. If I like the melody, if I feel that gives me some kind of emotion, then it is worth my time to listen to it. As I'm more excited or if I want to relax, and wander for hip-hop, pop, rock, metal or jazz.

An example of my complete lack of musical culture and how the melody just tells me something, is the music of **Bodyrockers ''I like the way you move.''** The theme says nothing but the melody burns my body, heats my blood, increases my heartbeat and invariably reminds me of sex!

If I listen to it while driving, then I more likely to switch gears in my beloved silver Audi TT and step floor it watching the tachometer increase, risking me a hefty fine for speeding and another for dangerous driving. I Mute track constantly, go over where I can. I Increase the volume and follow the theme screaming. Screaming yes, because I do not sing anything. **A N Y T H I N G! **

While I thought this song reminded me of Eric and how I founded the music like a glove in him. Strong, powerful, catchy, sexy, exudes sex every chord and every beat and I definitely like the way he moves, the way he doesn't move, as he look to me and how he shows me his fangs!

Oh shit! I needed to take a cold shower.

**Please be kind to me. Review! **


	7. Chapter 7

This story is a fan fiction about the work of Charlaine Harris, Southern Vampire Mysteries. Some characters and passages have copyrights belonging to CH.  
**I want to publicly thanks to Elfchef for her extraordinary kindness and patience to help me in translation to English. Without her none of this would be possible, so she deserves due recognition. The story is as much mine as hers.**

Please review!

**CHAPTER 7**

**EPOV**

It was my first time here. Gerald and Ryan showed the way to the conference room. Rightfully I took my place at the head of the table.

My choice in seating confuses them. Of what I could remember of human etiquette the head of the table was reserved for the owner of the business or the head of the household. This may as well have been my house. We were doing business together and with this much of my money at stake it would serve well to let them know now who was holding all the cards in this game.

Their nerves were still wrong tight. It was beginning to bore me.

They respected me and feared me because they knew they lived only because I wished it so. After all they were still of use to me. Their constant cowardice however was becoming revolting with great haste. Humans are a waste of time. Gerald was wringing his hands. Ryan was sweating and neither of them had uttered a word towards the conversation I was here to have; like I mention humans are a waste of time.

I leaned back in the chair in to allow myself room to stretch my legs. The undercarriages of most tables were not made to accommodate someone of my height. I placed my legs on the table. I signaled for them to continue because in truth they were testing my finite patience.

Ryan drank a glass of water, cleared his throat and began to show me the reports and deeds. All buildings had already been purchased on behalf of ''EN Development'', a company created specifically for this purpose. The speed with which they made the transactions and the confidentiality clause that all vendors have signed created no opportunity for speculation.

There was no doubt that they were competent at what they did. They bought all the buildings and saved 15% of the initial budget that I had instructed allotted them.

They expected me to say something but if the job was well done, there is nothing to say. Actually, I like to stay serious and quiet to maintain respect and the gap between my status and theirs. When business partners knew failure can lead to death there is less chance of theft or betrayal. It has been my experience that fear is sometimes a stronger motivator than financial gain.

The rest of the meeting was devoted to deciding what to do to with the buildings now that we had them. We ran through all the buildings one by one. I instructed them on what I wanted renovated and what I wanted demolish and reconstructed. The buildings that had to be rebuilt required architectural designs. Needless to say there was still very much to do.

There was now much to do. At this stage the project should be delivered to one person only, to avoid any possible leaks, the person should have expertise to undertake managing the entire management enterprise.

The name of my company should appear on all the contacts but that my name as owner should remain hidden.

Until the inauguration just Gerald, Ryan and the new project manager would know who the owner was.

"Who will be the project manager?" I asked

Gerald and Ryan looked at each other in doubt. I did not like this. This question should be long equated and solved. There is still a decision to make it was a serious flaw. Now I was angry. That's not how I conducted business. I demand quick answers and assertive decisions.

"Not yet decided? This is unacceptable" I looked at them angrily.

Ryan ran his hands through his hair and stammered showing me that he had little stamina. He has been in the business for many years but nobody has prepared him to negotiate with me. No amount of preparation would have been futile.

"No, it's not that. We already had someone in mind but …but …" Fuck! I do not have time for this! If it were possible I would die again right here of old age waiting for him to speak.

"What is the problem?" It took effort but I made my tone less hostile even though the urge to jump over the table and rip their throats out was sounding more appealing with every breath they took.

Certainly they did not think I got where I am by putting the hand over the shoulder of undecided humans?

I dug my fingers into the arms of the chair while waiting for the blessed name of the person who would be the project manager.

"We do not know " Said Gerald

Ryan drank more water and finally said "We would indicate the most competent person for the project in question, since her experience covers all types of buildings and will certainly be the right person for the job but ... I noticed that Eric already knows her and we do not know if it will ok for you"

"Who?" I swore to myself that it was the last time I will ask. If I had to ask again, someone would lose at least some teeth.

"Catherine Jenkins!" I kept silent, only to torture them some more because so much indecision deserves punishment and at the same time I was equating all the variables in question. Catherine, If she is the most competent, there is nothing more to say. I do not take decisions based on positive or negative emotions. They were useless in any case and in this case the stakes were too high.

Yet other idea surfaced in my mind. She would deal directly with me and from what I little I learned from our short but sweet encounter she stutters less in my presence. She is not a coward like these two.

The idea of spending more time with her, alone, increased my thirst. I remembered her body and my lower abdomen quivered in anticipation. Besides, I owed her a favor, as she made sure to inform me. There would be no doubt this would create an opportunity to reward for her hard work and dedication.

After all defense of a client, even unnecessary, is cause for at least a promotion.

"Very good. Tell her to call me to define all that is required"

I got up and left. Gerald and Ryan were wide-eyed, no doubt expecting me to explain something about the conversation they heard.

I was never one to explain my actions or motivations to anyone. Their ignorance told me that Catherine did not disclose to all her colleagues that I was one of the targets, otherwise they would not be so surprised at our association.

That's good. A human being discreet and not sharing more information than what is strictly necessary is a good potential ally. If we can consider a human an ally.

I am not, and never was a fan of humans. Nothing against them I was just saying. They are too fallible and have a dose of ignorance that would have long caused the extinction in other species but somehow these blood bags persevere.

In almost all my life I saw them only as a source of food and easy sex. Just stare and they are immediately on my powers of glamour. Then I they are mine for the taking. The monotony of those circumstances was insurmountable.

Catherine, however withstood the power of my glamour. How? How is it possible? Since I am an adult vampire, this has never happened to me. I failed a few times throughout my first century of existence when I was still improving my skills. From then on, nobody has ever endured.

Well, we have now plenty of opportunities to test her and see how much she can withstand. I know not to mix business with pleasure but now it is too late for that. I'll possess her body, whether she wants it or not and in the end she will love it and beg for more. They all do.

I got in the car and drove to the Fangtasia. After Catherine's tease I needed to fuck.

**CPOV ****  
**

I usually think that nothing surprises me anymore but I was sadly mistaken. Upon arriving at work in the morning I was greeted by a Gerald and Ryan. My first cause for anxiety was that they were both very nervous but very excited.

I mentally prepared myself for the reprimanding that would come because of the awkward situation yesterday but I did not expect any of this.

While they showed me the new project that I would have to work on I just felt like cussing and swearing out loud for all to hear because of everything the project would entail. Instead I smiled warmly and imagined hitting my head on the desk to relieve the urge to laugh.

I stopped laughing mentally, when Ryan shut the office door to avoid being heard and informed me, in a whisper, the name of the client. I was speechless and for the most part dumb founded. It took a few seconds to regain my composure even then it was minimal, that fact did not go unnoticed by superiors.

"Is there a problem?"

"No!" It was almost a shout. I calmed myself and repeated my answer with more self-assurance and less panic. "No, of course not"

They passed me all the necessary documents, the deeds, the area plants, the pre-list of what should be done, the adverting company contact that is already chosen to create a sales campaign and finally the personal contact of the entire thing: Eric Northman.

They did not leave my office without first stressing to me that his name was a matter of the strictest need to know basis and as of right now absolutely no one needed to know. No one should ever be informed of Mr. Northman without prior authorization. 

When they left I sat back in my chair and closed my eyes. I laughed. It seems as though since last Friday my life now revolved around Eric Northman.

I realize now that would eventually meet him anyway.

My attitude was just a stupid heroic preface to a story that was already written.

I do not believe in destiny but there are situations that seem written and however much I desired not to see him it was inevitable.

Not that I want to get away from Eric it was just that the idea of bumping into a vampire wasn't particularly safe. My first encounter did not go well as evidenced by my still aching and still casted arm.

Ryan appeared again in front of me to pull me out of my mulling. He looked like something very important just occurred to him.

"Catherine, I realize now that you may be apprehensive because now in addition to your day job you will have to work at night. It is regrettable but inevitable due to the inherent peculiarities of our client, but rest assured your extra hours will be reflected in payroll" I hadn't even thought of any of that yet. I was still in thinking about more frivolous things like the blue of Eric's eyes and why oh why could I not escape them. As he continued to speak I maintained my composure although he did not have my full attention. "Obviously I do not expect you in a morning meeting if you work late into the night" Ryan had always been good to me. I thanked him for understanding and took the time to imply that that had been the initial cause of my momentary apprehension.

He left, closing the door behind him and I grabbed the card with Eric's contact.

It remained in my hand for a good portion of day while I was trying to think of what to do next.

Another more important thought came to mind:

What time do vampires wake up?

**To who is sleeping with the story, I ask just a little more patience. Soon the story will progress and heat. I wanted to spend some time creating the characters and the context of the story before I start to complicate everything. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

This story is a fan fiction about the work of Charlaine Harris, Southern Vampire Mysteries. Some characters and passages have copyrights belonging to CH.

**I want to publicly thank Elfchef for her extraordinary kindness and patience to help me in translation to English. Without her none of this would be possible, so she deserves due recognition. The story is as much mine as hers.**

**Please Review! **

**CHAPTER 8**

**EPOV**

I felt strangely anxious. Not fearful just a sense of unease. It was similar to the few moments before the start of a battle, the breath before the plunge.

That was what I felt like today. My project was now at full speed. While it would take some time more I was eager do see the final results.

I couldn't wait to drive through these streets and see them lit and full of people, eagerly spending their money.

On my way to Fangtasia I watched the old buildings. After the revelation, it seemed logical to open Fangtasia here, a neighborhood not friendly to those fanatics that were keen on the extinction of our species.

Now that everything is quiet and there are virtually no problems between humans and vampires, it's time to prove ourselves in full. With caution, of course, but leave the shadows and move to the bright light of the moon. It was where we belonged.

I made use of the employee parking lot in the back. I was always in demand for the vermin here. They poured in when they saw my car. I was no mood for the ridiculous fangbangers tonight. 

I received a text message. I smiled as I read it. Catherine wanted me to call her when my night began. She wanted to meet me.

She does not know what time the vampires arise but she is refined enough to suggest and not ask directly.

I replied ''Fangtasia. I'll be waiting for you. E''

The night had taken an exciting turn and my fangs accompanied my change of mood.

I went in and met Pam, sitting at the counter with an inquisitive look. One of her perfectly arched brows indicated she was awaiting an explanation. She could feel my mood swings and lately she have not felt much. A lack of interest in the mundane affairs has haunted me.

I sat beside her and opened a bottle of True Blood.

"Eric, who or what has you animated?" I did want to tell her but not yet. There was another unresolved issue and it was more pressing.

"Have you controlled Vasile situation?" Pam made a face of pure disgust. It was a token for intense dislike for him. Usually she wore no expression at all, as many things bored her.

"Yes, He was here last night. He drank two bottles of True Blood and caused no problems. Bubba has followed his footsteps and he is apparently fulfilling what he promised. He rests in the cemetery and there no is suspicion that he tried to attack a human"

"Keep me informed. Tonight, the human whose arm you crushed last week will be in shortly to speak with me. When she arrives direct her to my office at once"  
Pam returned to arching her eyebrows only this time it was irritation and not curiosity.

"That blonde blood bag. Does she want me to beak her other arm?" Her voice was very matter of fact. She was very serious in her offer. She would do it without the slightest hesitation.

"PAM! You are prohibited from attacking her" she was offended with my order. She retorted calmly.

"I Just wanted to know what she wants" It is natural that she wants to know if the level of conversation has something to do with her. I rolled my eyes. Who would come all this way to get their other arm broken? My child is spoiled and has zero tolerance for most matters involving humans but in this case there is no basis for her curiosity. This conversation had nothing to do with her. I reassured her.

"You are not the subject of conversation Pam. When she comes just send her to my office" I gave her a pointed look. "She had better be in the same condition she entered in" 

**CPOV **

****  
I really have to organize this closet. I have been lost more than twenty minutes in here, between pants, t-shirts and boots and I couldn't find a single thing that matched. I guess I never had so much trouble in picking out outfits for a meeting with clients or going to work. I have never been to Fangtasia but it did not appear to be the type of place for formal wear. On the other hand he is a client. A very ''sui generis'' one but a client all the same. Oh heck! If it was a formal meeting I would not be in that position.

I grabbed the first piece that came to hand. The usual of course. Medium faded blue jeans, brown boots to the knee, low-cut black blouse and brown leather jacket.  
It's just another client. A client that can break my other arm and can rip my throat out. So no big deal then. With those thoughts I knew I would have some difficulty maintaining a professional demeanor.

I called a cab and I began to walk with my laptop under my arm. I was careful to encrypt all information contained within it.

I must take all necessary precautions. In the event it was lost or stolen I couldn't also run the risk of leaking his personal and financial information.

The driver stopped at the door of Fangtasia. As I was giving him my fare he gave me a disapproving look. Beautiful! I am now confused with a fangbanger.

There were no people waiting to enter, so I headed for the door and felt a pain in my arm when I saw her in front of me, denying me free entry.

The blond vampire from the party! I did not recognize her immediately because today she is dressed to kill or at least I am sure that any man will not mind dying by her hands and will be happy about it. I on the other hand felt the opposite.

She arched an eyebrow and gave me a wry smile when she looks in my casted arm. Well, I never expected her to apologize but having her laughing at the damage she had done was a bit of an exaggeration.

I wanted to hit her with my cast in her fangs but I was not losing my professional poise. In any event I was sure that fight would not end well for me.

"Good evening, I have an appointment with ..." she did not let me finish

She gave me an over dramatized bow and pointed for me to enter the bar.

I followed behind her. The bar was not full. I saw humans and vampires. One of them caught my attention. He had a long black cape to the ground, as the infamous Count Dracula in our human works of fiction. I even seemed to recognize him from somewhere.

Perhaps he was look alike some actor in some movie about vampires. It was doubtful that I have ever met this cape toting vampire.

The atmosphere was heavy, what I call the ''a house of coupling''. The same feeling to sit in a nightclub at four-thirty in the morning when customers knew they only had an hour or so to find someone for sex that night.

It's always around that time that I decide to leave. I hate that feeling in the air that seems to say: "I want to eat someone, no matter whom!''

The blonde showed me a door and I walked past it in the direction. I heard her talk behind my back:

"Sorry for hurting your arm. It was a misunderstanding"

I turned to her. She continued with a defiant and inflammatory look but I'm sure she apologized or at least said she was sorry. That was a lot more than I expected.

"Not a problem. I should not have gone that way in your direction and shouting"

She did not answer but I was feeling more relaxed.

"Catherine Jenkins" I said by way of introduction. "Pleased to meet you" I held my hand to greet her.

"We do not shake hands" Her demeanor was still very haughty.

"Yes, you just smash them" I could not resist laughing as I added that. I was having one of those moments where my mouth opened without having really thought about what was going to come out.

She looked serious, hostile and curious all at the same time. How is she able to do that? Finally she smiled at me not because she mangled a body part either.

"Pamela. You can call me Pam." Alas progress.

I managed to do a vampire smile. It was not so bad. Now it was time to face the Alpha male!

When I went knocking on the door I heard his voice on the other side to say: "Come in"

Vampires have X-ray vision? Nothing would explain how he knew who was on the other side of the door.

**EPOV **

I kept my eyes on the screen of my computer but the split second I looked at her, my dead body came to life spontaneously. She walked towards my desk and I could taste her smell. I wanted to eat her. Literally!

I motioned for her to sit down. I leaned back in my chair, clasp my hands in my lap and looked at her.

She smiled at me. The same smile on the elevator. She was such a tease. Let the games begin I thought, let the best man win, it will be me of course. I would be a good enough sport to allow her to think she had a fighting chance.

"Should formally introduce ourselves?" She asked laughing.

"I think we can skip that step. How's your arm?" She looked at her cast. It was regrettable that she had been harmed.

"I'm glad Pam didn't give me a matching pair" I could not help but laugh. The woman has a sense of humor.

"That would have been most unfortunate. There is much work to be done"

"It's a deal! When do you want to start?"

Was she aware she is playing with fire? That little question held so many possibilities. The things that I wanted to start with her ended with her voluptuous body naked and writhing under me.

She opens the laptop and keeps the loving smile in her face. I really think just now her smile has loving? What's wrong with me?

"Pam, seemed very available to help me with break some bone wherever I choose"

"She can't attack you" I did not want her to think she had to be wary of my child.

"I beg to differ. She can and she has" She's right. Pamela was perfectly capable of dismantling her if she so chose. I just have not given permission for such acts.

"She has orders to stay away from you."

She regarded me skeptically. "And she always follows your orders?"

I nodded. "Always"

"That's one short leash" She exclaimed. I did not understand the meaning of the phrase. I ignored it and offered her an explanation.

"It is something between master and child" Now it was her turn to be confused.

"Child? What child?"

"Pam is my child and I am her master" That did not provide her with the insight she needed.

"Forgive my ignorance in the matter of vampire lexis but I have no idea what all that meant" I could have gathered that much without her open declaration. It was obvious that we were the first vampire she knew and she also hasn't taken the usual interest in my species as most humans do. Nowadays it's easy to find all this information on the Internet. The zealots for and against our existence advertise all they discover on us.

"I am her creator. I made her into a vampire" I explained.

"This means that by human standards you are like her father" She was attempting to acclimate a familiar concept to a foreign one to help her make sense of it. It was a good strategy but the differences were much too vast in a situation like this one.

"Do you know any child who scrupulously follows the orders of his father?" From the little I knew and remembered of humans I knew that was not always the case.

She came back laughing again. "Touché!" This woman drives me crazy. Her relaxed way turned the game in her favor. I stared at her trying once again to glamour her. I knew it would be in vain but I simply could not help but try.

"You have no idea what you do to me when you laugh that way."

"Should I stop laughing? Her smile was sultry. She was absolutely playing with fire. I approached the desk and I focused with all the intensity I could summon. My eyes fixed on her, and I released all my power.

For a few seconds her expression was serious. She knew what I was attempting to do. She made me think it was working. Then her open smile returned. It was frustrating and fascinating.

"Can I ask what you are looking at? Is there something written on my forehead?"

Damn! How does she do that? She managed to drag me into her good moods. She makes me laugh when all I wanted was the opposite. I decided to quickly change strategy. This approach was just causing me to lose points. I went back to recline in my chair to talk business.

The fact that she has only had a few hours to prepare did not show. She was extraordinary organized and had all that she required with her. She showed me a list of architects she would contact to request ideas for buildings to be constructed; Contractors she had in mind for the rehabs. According to the type of buildings she would also request the help of landscape architects for the surroundings.

Good buildings had to have a good framework, she said.

She had plans to contact city hall to make sure the streets in the neighborhood I desired were revamped. To make it easier for customers she would have me condense certain businesses that way people would not have to walk to and fro. Attractions would be much easier for them to find.

Ryan was right; she was very good at what she did. If I were not a vampire and she a mere human I would have been tempted to leave all decisions with her. I'm sure she is very capable to make the correct choices.

"Would you like to go through phases?" Again I did not understand what she meant. "A venture of this magnitude involves a lot of liquidity. Bank loans take time to be approved"

"You can proceed with the project altogether. There are no banks involved" It was not something I needed to trouble myself with.

She looked up from her laptop somewhat abruptly. Perhaps she feared she had misheard or misunderstood.

"Really? As my client is my duty to inform you that for this type of project is better to resort to banks. I do not have the budgets but from past experience I know that this is something that will involve an investment of several million dollars" Not a problem. She has no way of knowing the volume of my economic liquidity covers but I appreciated the way she treated me like any other client, providing all information that might be needed. She was strictly concerned about the client's interest.

"You can move forward. Money is not a problem. No need to phase the work or delay the construction period"

"Well" she answered, turning to typing furiously. "If so, this will run smoothly. Within a month I will have the drafts of new buildings for your approval and will proceed immediately with the recovery of existing ones. Being that this neighborhood is composed of buildings of small scale and with the right partners, I estimate that within six months we can start selling. I'll be as quick as possible so that the return begins to come as soon as possible too" She was competent and I was reassured. She could make anything sound sexy. I was no longer interested in what she was saying.

I was fascinated as she worked. I do not remember if I ever looked at a human with respect. She almost seems like a vampire.

Rational and pragmatic those were her characteristics. On top of that, she had a body made for sin and a sense of humor out of the ordinary.

She got up from her chair and stretched her body. I got to admire it for a few seconds and jumped from the chair at a glance. As she blinked I stood in front of her. Her perfume invaded my nostrils.

"Now we stop talking business, I feel like ripping your clothes off" She smiled again.

"That, Mr. Northman would not be very ethical" I walked over to her. I came closer and closer. I could feel the heat radiating from her. I felt my icy body burn. All the while she did not flinch or look away. On impulse I grabbed her by the hips and pulled them to me, momentarily knocking the air from her lungs.

She put her hand on my chest in a ridiculous attempt to put some distance between us but she still did not appear to be afraid of me.

My fangs descended halfway. Momentarily I lost myself in bloodlust. My hands slipped off their hips to her ass. She remained motionless. I pushed myself against her hand and touched my lips to her neck. Her heartbeat fastens and the artery in her neck throbbed violently. Fuck! Just then Pam would enter my office at full vampire speeds. I could kill her.

"Eric! Serious problem!"

I took a deep breathe in spite of not needing to. I freed my hands from Catherine and looked at Pam with the desire to punish her severely. What could be so serious as to justify this intrusion? Immediately I realized that it would have to been serious. She was in my office watching me with my hands on Catherine and wearing a triumphant expression. Even then she did not utter a single snarky remark. Her eyes were fixed on me and she stopped.

"What is it?"

"Alone!" She snapped.

"Speak!" It couldn't be so bad that Catherine couldn't hear. The woman has permission to use my name and several million dollars of my money. In my mind we had moved past the usual impersonality's.

"Some humans attacked Chow. He was found finally dead in the back"


	9. Chapter 9

This story is a fan fiction about the work of Charlaine Harris, Southern Vampire Mysteries. Some characters and passages have copyrights belonging to CH. 

**I want to publicly thanks to Elfchef for her extraordinary kindness and patience to help me in translation to English. Without her none of this would be possible, so she deserves due recognition. The story is as much mine as hers.**

**Please Review! Let me know what you think!**

**CHAPTER 9**

**CPOV**

I could not decide which one had looked more lethal. Eric and Pam were absolutely transfixed. Pam's eyes were suddenly black. Eric fangs were fully extended. I could clearly hear a roar, like a large predator, escaping their threoats in a collective rumble. A chill ran down my spine. It felt like there was no warmth in the room or my entire body. I too looked trasfixed but not for the same reason. I couldnt move even if I wanted to. I did not know where my blood was, but it must have curled up in an inner area of my body to escape the murderous looking vampires in the room.

Eric flew out of the office and through the bar's clientele with Pam behind him. They did not literally fly but the motion was so fast that my eyes registered it. It was almost like David Copperfield had pulled a disappearing trick in the room.

I hesitated a few seconds while recovering from my frozen state. I forced my legs to move in any direction. My good mood vanished.

I breathed deeply and tried to think what to do. Nothing seemed logical at the moment I was running off instinct. After all we humans are animals too and we do it when necessary. My insticts were telling me to run but instead I followed the direction that they disappeared towards. I found a corridor and a service door. I opened it and was outside in the back of the bar.

I saw Eric, Pam, the vampire Count Dracula who appeared and two others I did not recognize about twenty yards away. They were all in silence looking at something that was lying on the road.

It did not require much intelligence to realize that should be Chow. I did not feel like seeing a dead body, even if it was a vampire's. I did not know what to expect. I forced myself to move forward.

When I was closer of the group, by the dim light of public lighting that remained in the area I saw the body, or at least what was left of it.

"Holly shit! What a Fuck?"

It wasn't very intelligent but as I stated before i was runnign off instinct. When Dracula looked at me I noticed that I had spoken aloud. The others seemed not to hear me. My response did not do justice to the scene before me.

The vampire that had been Chow was now a rapidly decomposing body. I could see the remains disintegrate and be carried away with the evening breeze. Small particles of what looked like ash lifted into the air. The strangest thing was that the body was in two parts. One greater than the other. I could clearly see that the smaller one was the head. Chow had been beheaded.

Excuse my ignorance in all these vampire issues. When they revealed themselves I though the world would explode.

There was talk of nothin else. It was tiring. At the time my initial raction was to think it was April fools day. It most certainly wasn't. Gradually I realized it was true and I felt a strange joy. I had always loved myths and to learn that this one that was so old was so true, I almost felt like Neil Armstrong setting foot on the soil of the moon for the first time. It felt like I was witnessing the impossible.

From there, I ignored the issue. Everyone seemed to have an opinion for or against vampires. I did not know any vampires so I did not have an opinion. It wasn't in my nature to judge. It's my way of living. I do this on everything. I'm not racist, xenophobic, and intolerant or have irrational fears. There were more important things to spend my energy on.

There's good and evil everywhere. They are a different species. They are predators like any other. It does not mean they don't have a place in this world. If you ask me they did us a favor by coming out. I prefer this than to live in ignorance of what was around me.

Unfortunately with my lack interest in the subject birth my ignorance to that world.

For my minimal knowledge only two things can make a vampire meet his true death. A stake in the heart or if they faced the sun. Someone has cut the vampire head off. That was puzling.

While trying to make sense of everything I saw, Eric and Pam began to speak a foreign language I couldn't understand. Nothing about the unfamiliarity of the language hid the fact that Eric was using every profanity there was.

"How do you know they were humans?" Yes, I decided to open my mouth without thinking-again. All heads turned in my direction. Oh shit! Maybe I should have been silent.

"We can smell their trail" Eric stopped his long string of profanities to answer my question. Of course I definitely should have kept quiet. It put my stupidity on full display. They can track like dogs. Damn!

It's the second time that I compare them with dogs and being realistic, comparing a Chihuahua with Eric, it was almost hilarious. I was almost laughing at the idea. I was acting crazy could be the nerves.

The two vampires I did not recognize disappeared into the night. I couldn't say in which direction they went. Pam was on the phone her lips were moving too fast for me to comprehend a word she said. Eric seemed to regain some control but I was not too confident. 

"What makes this bag of blood here?" Shouted Count Dracula apparently he had bad manners as well as no fashion sense.

Pain shot up my left arm. My body braced itself to have another part of it smashed in the hands of a vampire.

"Vasile" Ah, so Count asshole has a name! It was nice to know as he continued to squeeze my arm.

"Catherine is my guest. Need I say more?" Eric was not one with the slightest patience. I thought he would crush something and I was happy with the idea that this thing would not be me.

Vasile looked at me furiously. His expression held so much disdain I thought he might spit in my face. Instead he released me and remained silent. Seeing I had my arm back I took the opportunity to put some safe distance between the Count and myself. By safe I meant I moved closer to Eric. Given the choice I would choose him every time even in his bad mood. He didn't seem as intent on my immediate death as Vasile.

Pam answered her phone again. She said nothing then hung up almost as soon as the phone reached her ear.

"The trail disappears into river. They had a boat waiting" Someone should teach me a foreign language so I could utter a few obscenities of my own.

I've never been a naive person. While I am at peace with my life I did not expect peace with in. When I heard this morning that I would have to lead this project, I knew automatically that i should be prepared to deal with situations that were at least strange.

This obviously was not my idea of ''a strange thing.'' Far exceeded anything I could imagine. I came here on business and ended up inhaling ashes of a vampire really dead. The idea had my stomach-churning. It was only day one.

** EPOV  
**

I did not survive into this age losing control of every unexpected situation that happened. First that ridiculous attempt at the party. Now Chow has met the true death.

The only thing in common is the presence of humans in both attacks but the ''modus operandi'' has changed. At the party they were armed with stakes and silver. Now the attack demonstrates an understanding of how to eliminate us. This was no longer amusing it was worrisome.

I am well aware that there are groups that are not our fans but from them to pose a real threat these were no longer amateurs.

I had the situation under control. I need information urgently. It was of the outmost importance to act quickly to nip it in the bud before there is irreparable damage.

No matter whom I have to pay, who I have to torture and how many heads have to roll. I was going to resolve this and I was going to do it soon.

Catherine was still near us and I noticed that under his right arm was her laptop.

Despite having a crisis at hand I could not help but be surprised.

Even in an emergency, she brought the computer with her, never losing sight of her own objective while showing concern in my own.

I eyed her in absolute wonder of her demeanor. It must have compelled her to give an explanation.

"Oh, I can leave my bag and all that other stuff but the computer always goes with me." Any other human would have left everything in the office and ran screaming.

I made a sign to Pam to eliminate the remnants of Chow. I returned to the office. Catherine and Vasile accompanied me, and seconds later, Pam joined us.

I sat in my chair and she leaned into me.

"Sorry for Chow's death" I looked at her. She seemed really worried about my loss.

At the loss of Chow I felt nothing. He was not very efficient and it was very easy to replace him. This fact I kept to myself I was her compassion could be used at my advantage.

What makes me uneasy to know that there is someone with enough courage to finish a vampire in my area and do it at the back of my bar. This was serious. It was an act of blatant disrespect and was a declaration of war.

Vasile gave a theatrical laugh at Catherine's condolences.

"Idiot! We're vampires. We do not need your sorry"

I roared at him while I digging my fingers on the desk. He's overstepping the mark, and testing the limits of my control and mercy. He appeared shocked at my outburst.

"Eric. I do not understand what gives this sub- creature here right to witness an attack by its kind against us" This vampire is going to be headless. No one questions me. He realized the dyer error on his part and retreated even then he kept speak, though he approached more caution.

"Eric, we have to react. Humans will revolt against us. Will you allow this?" It was so like him to think he held any voice in an area in which he was just a visitor. It was also like him to call the drums of war without having all the facts. His motto was: kill, kill, kill and when everyone is dead ask questions.

Pam did not hesitate to put him in his place. She grabbed him by the neck, causing him to collide with the wall behind him. My child never fails. Though he is older and stronger he was fighting against the firm grip on around his throat.

"Pam you have made your point, leave him"

"Eric" Vasile was almost pleading with me. Not for his release but for us to fight.

"I will solve the problem without your meddling" Again he spoke out of turn.

"They are human. We can annihilate them. The world will be ours as it should have been" He was tactless and a fool. The world could be ours but then what? What will become of us when we have exterminated humans? While I did not care for them I knew they had a right to exist and carry on their meager existence if they left us in peace.

Catherine took a few steps backwards in the opposite direction of Vasile. This conversation ends here.

"Silence yourself or your existence will end here and now" Finally he shut his infernal trap. 

I signaled to my child. She knew what she should do before dawn. Contact our allies and gather information.

When they left, I looked at Catherine. I could feel she was calmer but her silence was disturbing.

"Good evening Eric" she smiled at me shyly.

I found myself wanting her to talk, scream, and say what she thought. The truth did not correspond to my wishes. She left without saying a word. For the remainder of the night hours I wondered and wondered.

**For all readers who are getting tired of reading and reading and not finding sex in this story, do not give up yet! When a long time waiting for something, eventually worth it! **


	10. Chapter 10

This story is a fan fiction about the work of Charlaine Harris, Southern Vampire Mysteries. Some characters and passages have copyrights belonging to CH.  
**I want to publicly thanks to Elfchef for her extraordinary kindness and patience to help me in translation to English. Without her none of this would be possible, so she deserves due recognition. The story is as much mine as hers.**

**Review it! Please!**

**CHAPTER 10**

**CPOV**

Dr. Jones examined the X-ray of my and I hoped he didn't have any bad news for me. He turned the X-ray towards the light to provide himself with a better view. I held my breath and braced myself. The thought of having this contraption attached to me for another minute was no one I could stand. Not only did I hate hospitals I hated being sick and feeling inadequate. The last month has been hell. Although now the list of things I can do one handed has become significantly longer. It was working with one hand that I just couldn't do anymore. It felt like I was never going to catch up.

"Tell me everything's' okay. I'm tired of walking around with this cast"

I could almost feel the deadline I had given Eric moving faster than I could type but I managed. In fact I have everything analyzed and ready so the construction could begin even the budget for the anticipated project was complete. The next time we met I could present him with a full comprehensive report of all his options. All that was left was him making his decisions and signing off on all the paper work and I could give the contractors the green light. .

"Miss Jenkins, you're a lucky girl. I was afraid we may have to do corrective surgery but the bones in that arm pieced together nicely"

Correspondences with the city hall also went well. I pulled some strings, covering some favors and city hall agreed to repave the area and improve lighting.

Finally I pulled the rabbit out of the hat with one final idea. Making the sellers of the property we acquired throw in private security. Certainly, more security will attract even more customers. It was an investment that would pay off in the long run. I wanted Eric's okay before I moved forward and added that clause to the sale contracts.

"You are free to go Catherine and I hope not to see you so soon"

Dr. Jones is very nice and I discovered over the past month this was the sentence he uses to dismiss his patients. The feeling was mutual I did not want to see him anytime soon. Honestly if I never saw him again it would be too soon. It would be a sign that I was living the way I should; in other words not getting maimed by vampires at dinner parties.

The afternoon was ending and was a good time to call Eric. That was a night of contradictions. I was so attracted to him I would have had sex with him on the desk in his office if we had not been interrupted. Thank god someone killed the vampire. It's a horrible thought, I know, but I now feel able to resist him. Doing the opposite would be a bad idea for many reasons. Firstly, it has a rule of mine not to mix business with pleasure. Sleeping with a client is wrong in so many ways that I can make a list. It never ended well. Second his world scares me. Not him particularly but the way that crazy cape vampire wanted to end all humans. The rational thing to do would be to keep my distance. This time apart increased my self-confidence and I will resist his charm. I had not seen him since the bloody night in Fangtasia. I have gotten to the current status of the project by e-mail and phone calls only. I will not fall for his seductiveness.

**EPOV  
**  
There she was in front of me. I think whenever I see her memory does not do her body justice. I invited her to meet me at my house. I wanted no interruptions tonight. Today I wanted to talk business and so much more.

Last month me and Pam have deployed contacts to try to understand the sudden reason for this threat and there was no development. To me this is a matter of serious annoyance. Yet sitting around waiting to be attacked is not at all in my MO it never has been. Tonight that was not where my mind was.

Catherine did not appear reticent when I offered my house for the meeting. Perhaps she also prefers a calmer environment.

"Eric" she gave me a warm smile. Her eyes were daunting. They were framed with long eyelashes flawlessly manicured. When she blinks I have trouble controlling myself. I could not glamour her but she was doing a good job of glamouring me.

"Catherine. Did you have trouble finding the house?" I was not the slightest bit interested. I'm just making small talk to make her more comfortable. The terms were parted under previously had playing cautious.

"GPS works miracles"

I looked her over; she was five feet seven at the very most. Getting a good eye full was a relatively easy task. I enjoyed every second of it.  
She was driving an Audi TT. Despite being a car not expensive enough for my tastes, I liked knowing that she also likes sports cars with aggressive looks.

It did not escape my notice that her arm was no longer wrought in a cast. She also seemed much more relaxed.

I glanced at length from her body. She was wearing a short black dress that was low-cut, knee-high boots and a white jacket that was longer than the dress itself. If I had to choose one word to describe her it would be delicious.  
She slid confidently into my house and sat on a couch, putting a professional looks as she started her laptop.

I sat on the couch in front of her. I wanted to give her time and space.  
She said nothing about the murder of Chow and I did not know what she would think about it. Never been interested in knowing what women thought if I was going to have sex with them. Now strangely these ideas occurred to me. I lost no time to think about its meaning.

She began to speak. She showed me everything she had worked on in the past month. Asked my approval for each building. I intended to see it more calmly and I found myself giving permission to all her ideas perfectly disinterested.

"Okay then, I'm going to give you everything tomorrow"

"Where are you going" She was apparently preparing to leave

"Eric, my schedule is different from yours. If you want to finish the project within the date I gave you I have to start working early in the morning, or even today" She glanced down at her watch.

Oh No. She is not going to get away from me. She blinked and I was glued to her. I inhaled her scent. My eyes fixed on her. She stepped back and looked away. 

''Gotta go.''

"Not until you've been mine"

She continued to retreat and I was advancing in her direction. Was she toying with me? I could feel she wants me. This game just stirs me even more. Did she not know I am a predator? The first rule in dealing with any predator is not to run. It only provokes us even more. The desire to hunt becomes layered with the thrill of the chance. It is more exiting; more dangerous; much more dangerous.

"Eric" Her voice was stern and she attempting to make her face match. "There will be no sex between us. Not tonight or any other night" I was not fooled.

Most women, human or vampire, give their life for a night of sex with me. No woman ever resisted me, or men for that matter. Not my usual choice but we vampires liked sex as much as we liked blood.

I had been waiting for it since her retreat began. She ran out of room behind her. She found herself leaning against the wall with absolutely no place to go. The picture prey corralled and trapped in a corner. The image of it made the beast inside me over take my rational side.

I pressed my body against hers. She pushed her hands against my chest. My mouth turned to her and she turned her face hard.

- No, Eric! I will not!

- Why are you fighting me? Why are you denying what your body desires?

She thinks she's fooling whom?

I did not want to hurt her for real and pulled her arms from my chest with one hand and held them above her head.

Catherine however was seriously trying to fight me. It was in vain. With the weight of my body I pinned her against the wall her and with my right hand held her face. I leaned my lips to hers. She shut her mouth and held the air in her lungs. I lost myself in the heat from her lips and tasted the flavor. She closed her eyes. I walked away from her mouth for a few seconds to admire it. 

- Let me go Eric! Now! I want nothing with you!

- Bullshit!

"Let me go Eric! Now! Right now! I want nothing with you" The more she denies what she feels the more she drives me crazy. I can feel her desire. I do not know if she is lying to herself or to me but I do not care. She will be mine and she will be mine tonight.

My free hand went through her body. I lifted her skirt and caressed her hips and firm ass.

- Stop that!

- No! Not until I hear you scream with pleasure.

She tried hitting me with her knee between my legs. Her attempt was ridiculous and made me laugh.

I took her and placed her over my shoulder. Her firm ass was touching my side face. She kicked and screamed as she began to give punch my back. I dug my fangs into the buttock. She screamed in pain and I felt the taste of her blood through the tissue. I could not wait any longer.

I used my full strength and speed. I dropped her in the center of my bed and before she could get up and run away, I was already on her. 

"ERIC! STOP! NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

I silenced her with my mouth. She was tired of fighting, screaming, and panting and allowed my tongue invaded her mouth. I sipped her tongue, sucked it, and dug my fangs lightly on her lips.

I could feel her useless attempt to maintain control over her body. Her mind did not want to have sex with me but her body betrayed her constantly. Maybe it was enough to fool a human but not Eric Northman.

When I freed her lips she regained control and tried to attack me with all the strength she had, which of course served no purpose. It was like a butterfly batting its delicate wings against the mountain side.

"I DON'T WANT YOU ERIC" It was an exhausted shout. Her body was willing and it was losing its strength to fight the battle of her mind.  
My blood boiled. I wanted to get inside of her; I would eat her for hours. It took me a glimmer of control because I did not want to hurt her. 

- Do not fight me. I know you want me as much as I want you.

My mouth blowing each word in the direction of her skin that got goose bumps immediately. 

If I held her the way I wanted I would end up breaking something. I freed her for a second. She felt free and tried to escape. Her arms were already tied to the headboard with my belt before she even realized it.

She made a cry of anger and writhed in vain.

The anticipation was burning me. My dick was erect and pressing too hard against my pants. I touch myself roughly to relieve pressure.

The thirst for blood in my mouth and throat burned. I tore off her clothes leaving only her thong and boots.

Her screams were nonstop. I saw her mouth moving but heard none of it. The scent of her arousal was turning me in a real animal. Naked her body was better than I imagined. Her chest was ample; voluptuous and they were asking to be kissed and sucked. Her flat belly retracts violently as she tried to scurry away. I lost myself in the middle of her breasts; kissing them, licking them, sucking them. Her nipples were erect and bosom quivered. She did not give up trying to convince me that I was forcing something that she did not want. She was contorting her body and roaring with rage as me for horny.

My lips roamed her body languidly while my hands continued to caress those wonderful nipples on the tip. I bit them a little and the last piece of clothing; her lace thong lay in ruin with the slightest switch of my fangs.

Her shouts of protests became louder. "NO, NO, NO ... ... ... ... ... PLEASE NO!" 

I sank my face between her legs. I stroked her with my chin. She was wet. Her hot fluids seemed to burn my skin. I taste her with my tongue. She arched her back and every muscle in her body tensed. Calmly with the gentlest caress I stroked her clit with my tongue sometimes parrying with my fingers. Her screams decreased in octave.

"No…I…plea…" But her voice was slurred and she was panting.

"Relax"  
I do not want to do anything against her will. I know her body wants me and I want her so badly!

I penetrated her with my fingers. She opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out.

I licked the length, sucking her. My finger delved into her inner flame. My thumb in a circular motion stoked her clit simultaneously. Her insistent ''no's'' were replaced by groans of pleasure. I felt the tension growing in her body and she gave up fighting me. She abandoned herself in my mouth and my fingers. I struggled against the will of fuck her rough and hard. I wanted to hear her scream my name.

I continued to penetrate her, to caress her, to suck her and lick her. She arched her body and seconds later the contractions of orgasm pushed my fingers. I removed them and taste them with my tongue. I wanted to savor all the hot fluids that freed her and gave her release. The taste of her pleasure was indescribable.

The impulse to bite into her was tremendous in force. The idea of tasting her blood and her sex in my mouth was too much for words. I exercised control. Not yet.

She was panting, her heart was beating irregularly and I kissed her mouth. Her saliva mixed with the taste of her pleasure. I put my fingers in her mouth. She licked them. I not avoided a roar when I felt her hot mouth and tongue sucking my fingers.

I wanted more. Now!

I positioned myself on my knees between her legs. I raised her to the height of my mouth, her legs on my shoulders. I dipped my tongue inside her. 

She moaned with pleasure. Every groan I answered her with more movement of my tongue. I stroked her with more violence, eagerly sucking her clit and she squeezed my head between her legs as another orgasm hit her.

Her contractions felt on my tongue and I tasted her again. I'll kill this woman. She will die from pleasure.

I ripped my pants and boxers and positioned myself on top of her body. She had difficulty controlling breathing. Her body was brilliant. If I not enter inside her body right now I surely go crazy. I pressed my sore dick against her wet and swollen folds. I looked at her.

Her eyes were open and fixed on mine. Flaming eyes. Desire in her face.

"Eric untie me, please" She spoke softly, her plea was whispered. I would never tell her this but she could ask me for anything in that voice and I would make it hers.

"Tell me lover will you continue to deceive yourself?"

"No" Her eyes were boring into mine and she was biting on her bottom lip. She continued in the same voice "I want to touch you, feel your body ... … I want you" 

I released her immediately. She ran her hands across my chest, my back and spread her legs farther to accommodate between them.

This will be violent and savage. I do not care.

I slid in her in one time. My body vibrated to the feeling.

She screamed. I did not want to break her in pieces but her body was asking more and more.

She pulled me in whenever I tried to come out. She locked me with her legs.

She dug her nails into my skin. She gave a breast to my mouth so I can lick it.

I tried to maintain control. She demanded more. My dick buried inside her, hitting hard and hard. Her hips moving faster and faster. She makes me completely mad.

- Eric. More, more, more – She begged screaming

And I lost control. I fucked her violently. It was wild. Primary. I used all my strength and speed.

- Make me yours, completely yours! I need you!

I grabbed her by the hair and sucked her mouth, as I was come in and out of her without thinking. Without stopping. My body and hers united as never united me to anyone.

She screamed. I wanted to think it was from pleasure but probably I was killing her and not realizing it. I don't care.

I could not think. She became tense and rigid while her powerful orgasm swept mine. 

I Pull her head by the hair, leaned her sideways and stuck my fangs in her neck.

Her blood flowed down my throat and the indescribable pleasure increased my orgasm, making me roar out of control.

My body trembled as my fluids invade her body.

When I regained some control over my mind, I looked for the damage I have done in her body.

She eagerly kissed me asking for more. She rid me mercilessly, like a crazed Amazon.

I should have stopped but I did not want to. I was ready immediately or never stopped being.

I'll fuck her all night. In all ways, in all positions.

It seemed that none of us was tired of each other.

That an orgasm could only bring an even stronger one.

We could not stop.

I think I'll die here tonight and honestly I do not care a shit about it.

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